The subject invention concerns a means for regulation of the transfer of heat in a heat pipe by means of an operative medium contained therein, said heat pipe comprising a heat-emitting condenser part, a heat-absorbing evaporator part and an interconnecting conduit joining the two parts together.
A heat pipe of this kind is known from DE-A No. 1 1 950 448. In order to regulate the heat transfer from the evaporator part to the condenser part by means of the operative medium a valve is inserted in the interconnecting conduit. The valve is in the form of a rotary disc which is actuated by mechanical or electromagnetic means from the exterior of the heat pipe. A radiator pipe of this construction is disadvantageous in several respects. The lead-through opening through the wall of the heat pipe, which is necessary to control the valve (rotation of the disc), tends to cause leakages with resulting reduction of the efficiency of the heat pipe. Leakages, in turn, may cause the rotating mechanism to jam or even to become inoperative, thus jeopardizing the operation and function of the heat pipe entirely.